Date: Saturday 21st November, 2009
Competition: Blue Square Premier
Weather at kick-off: rain
Goals:
Luton: Gnakpa 61', Craddock 80'
United: Crow 81', 92' (pen) (Holroyd missed pen 82')

Danny Crow came off the bench to lead a stirring two-goal comeback for United against fancied Luton and gain some revenge for the home defeat in September.

Martin Ling made two changes to the side beaten by at home by Kettering last weekend, with Lee Phillips replacing Danny Crow up front and Andy Parkinson recalled to midfield in place of Courtney Pitt.

Luton manager Richard Money made one change to the side that won 2-0 at Grays, calling central defender Ed Asafu-Adjaye up in place of Alan White.

In pouring rain and an electric, noisy atmosphere United had the first effort on goal in the second minute when Jai Reason advanced to just inside the area and held off a defender before sliding a shot narrowly wide.

Both sides had started at a high tempo and Anthony Tonkin had to head the ball behind for a Luton corner, which headed away by Brian Saah, a minute later Tonkin cleared a cross from veteran striker Kevin Gallen, and in the seventh minute former U Fred Murray made a good run and cross that was headed into Danny Potter's arms by Keith Keane.

As Luton's pressure continued they forced another corner on 11, which landed in a mass of bodies in the goalmouth, but despite a Tom Craddock header and a touch from defender George Pilkington the ball was somehow blocked, and a minute later Craddock broke through but was denied by an outstretched leg from Saah.

The first booking on 16 followed a flying two-footed challenge by Keane on McAuley, but within a minute Paul Carden collected the second yellow card for blocking off Claude Gnakpa's run, bringing his tally for the season to four.

With United standing firm and beginning to see more of the ball, some of the Luton fans became increasingly restless and when Lee Phillips made a strong run into the area to earn a United corner on 28 their frustration became more vocal.

United were working hard to close down space and stand firm against the home side, with Andy Parkinson enjoying a good battle with Fred Murray, but on 39 Tonkin received his fourth booking of the season for a foul on Asafu-Adjaye and will miss Tuesday's game at home to Rushden & Diamonds.

A minute later Gnakpa challenged for the ball with Potter and left the U's keeper in a heap but escaped a booking, and on 44 Reason made room for another shot but fired over the bar from 20 yards as Blackett threw himself at the United man.

Half-time summary by match commentator Mark Johnson:
"A hard fought half for the U's who are level after weathering the early storm. With a vociferous crowd egging on the home team this really does feel like the lion's den but United have stood firm."

Second half:
Both teams emerged unchanged for the second half and United earned a corner after just two minutes that saw Pilkington again having to tip the ball behind again, and although the second flagkick was cleared United retained possession and Lee Phillips had a shot blocked away.

Luton broke away on 52 and Craddock darted through against Potter but over-hit the ball and Potter was out smartly to smother the ball, and two minutes later Gnakpa and Craddock played a one-two just outside the area and Paul Carden made a great tackle to break up the move.

Holroyd drove a long-range shot wide on 53 and three minutes later a quick counterattack saw Phillips wrestled over by Pilkington as he turned ten yards outside the area, but Willmott's free kick flew comfortably over the bar as the atmosphere became even noisier and rain continued to fall.

With the game continuing at a fast tempo on the slippery surface United lost possession on a couple of occasions, and it proved costly on 61 when Nicholls lifted a free kick into the box and the unmarked Claude Gnakpa turned it in at the far post from close-range.

The home side went close to making it 2-0 just five minutes later when Craddock met another Nicholls free-kick inside the area but volleyed wide, and at the other end Phillips tried to pick out Holroyd's run but the ball was cut out by Pilkington.

Luton were lifted by their goal and there was another let-off for under-pressure United on 71 when the ball came off McAuley's shins and fell for Newton but he lashed wide.

A minute later Robbie Willmott made a late challenge on Asafu-Adjaye and like Tonkin received his fifth booking of the season, meaning he will also miss Tuesday's game, and on 75 Martin Ling made a double change to send on Courtney Pitt for Parkinson and Danny Crow for Phillips.

But for all United's efforts the game looked over with ten minutes remaining when Newton sent Tom Craddock clear on the left and he unleashed a superb 25-yarder into the top corner, giving Potter no chance and apparently sealing a home win.

But Luton's celebrations were choked off within a minute as United closed the gap again, Hatters skipper Kevin Nicholls playing a careless ball across his defence and Willmott seizing on the chance, and although Robbie's shot from 18 yards was parried by Pilkington, Danny Crow nipped in to nod the rebound home.

Again the celebrations were barely over when another key moment arrived in the Luton area, a goal-line clearance and scramble ended when Jai Reason was brought down for a penalty. Chris Holroyd has scored four penalties this season and he took responsibility again, but missed for the first time when he fired straight at Kevin Pilkington and the keeper pushed it behind for a corner.

United tried desperately to force the flagkick home against a shaken Luton defence but the home side survived and caused a scare on 85 when Nicholls' on-target shot deflected off Reason's foot and over the bar.

Richard Money made his only substitution on 86 to send on defender Jake Howells for Newton and when Willmott launched a 35-yard effort over the bar a minute later it looked as though the home side would hold on, but in the second minute of stoppage time United completed their comeback.

Pressure in the Luton area saw the ball spin off a defender's head and against the post, and as Crow tried to connect he was brought down. Referee Naylor had no hesitation in signalling another penalty and Danny Crow stepped up to bury the ball as Pilkington dived the wrong way.

It was practically the last kick of the game but United ended in the ascendancy and exacted some revenge on the Hatters after having a similar 2-0 lead undone at the Abbey in September.

Luton Town:
Kevin Pilkington, Ed Asafu-Adjaye, George Pilkington, Shane Blackett, Fred Murray; Claude Gnakpa, Kevin Nicholls (c), Keith Keane, Adam Newton (Jake Howells 86'); Kevin Gallen, Tom Craddock.
Subs not used: Shane Gore, Andy Burgess, Rossi Jarvis, Ryan Charles.

Booked: Keane foul 16'

Cambridge United:
Danny Potter, Rory McAuley, Anthony Tonkin, Brian Saah, Wayne Hatswell, Robbie Willmott, Paul Carden, Jai Reason, Andy Parkinson (Courtney Pitt 75'); Chris Holroyd, Lee Phillips (Danny Crow 75').
Subs not used: Josh Coulson, Sam Ives, Laurie Walker.

Booked: Carden foul 17', Tonkin foul 39', Willmott foul 73'

Referee: Mr M.A. Naylor

Attendance: 7,458 (711)

Post-match summary by commentator Mark Johnson:
"An extraordinary finale saw United miss a penalty yet still overcome a two-goal deficit to take a point at Luton. In a bear pit atmosphere United defended well and rode their luck at times to keep Luton at bay for an hour, but when Claude Gnakpa scored at a set piece and Tom Craddock netted a screamer with ten minutes to go that, surely, was that. But two-goal leads in games between the U's and Luton are precarious things and substitute Danny Crow nodded United a lifeline a moment later. Two minutes after that Jai Reason was brought down in the box and Chris Holroyd of all people saw his penalty saved, but deep into stoppage time Danny Crow was upended for another penalty and took the penalty himself to rescue a point from the spot."

Mark's Man of the Match:
"Danny Crow - only 15 minutes but what a 15 minutes. A predatory strike to throw United a lifeline and the coolest man on the park to rescue the point; what a reply to being left out. Honourable mentions for Reason and Carden who worked their socks off in the middle of the park, and Hatswell and Saah who did similar in the centre of defence."

Ref: Mr Naylor - reminded everyone that we're in the Conference with inconsistent decisions, but in the end the ones that mattered went to United. 6/10."

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